Definitely unsure of my feelings right now. However, I got up earlier than usual compared to other days of the week, and when I checked the time, it was 7am on October 20, 2020. Because of the history of today, October 20, 2020, will be recognized as one of the greatest and yet defining days in our nation's history.
There appears to be considerable conflict occurring on a worldwide scale; the main distinction is if the problems are the same or distinct. Most countries would experience pollution on a larger scale, while some could experience famine and war for others.
However, the truth is that we all share a fundamental problem that is destroying us as a people. My country, like most others, has a number of problems, but it seems that there is one problem that has been silently destroying us.
Police brutality was the silent killer, and it wasn't even related to the color of your skin; rather, it was caused by a system with a limited scope of thinking that was based on ineffectiveness and a lack of training.
This problem had been neglected for so long that it had become malignant and was killing citizens across the country.
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
"The Police is your friend" is a saying that I learned as a child and continued to believe in even after I graduated from high school, but I suppose I was mistaken in believing that the Police Force was my buddy.
In all fairness, I would agree that the country may be challenging, just like life, but it would be wrong to assume that since certain young people are attractive, well-dressed, or wealthy and are more likely to engage in illicit activity than others.
Since they had developed a merciless reputation for harassing Nigerian youngsters without cause, I suppose the SARS unit of the Nigerian Police Force wasn't buying this theory. They might view someone with coloured hair or even dreadlocks as a criminal, in which case would face unwarranted harassment.
I ran into this murderous police unit a few times in college, and I believe I was just lucky to escape their violence. The first incident involved a raid on the student residence where I was living.
They broke into my neighbor's flat on this particular day when he was still outside. Despite breaking the door, they didn't discover anybody inside. They then knocked on my door, and I was getting ready for school as I was in the bathroom at the time of the knock. I could hear loud banging on my door while taking my bath with music on, so I hurried outside with a towel on, wondering if the world was ending.
When I opened the door, I was met by a heavily armed police officer who looked upset already. He asked me why I took so long to unlock the door. My towel served as sufficient evidence that I was telling the truth when I said I was in the bathroom.
Then I was being questioned about the disappearance of my neighbor, about whose whereabouts I knew nothing. My heart was pounding fast, and it seemed like they were trying to pin something on me.
He instructed the other officers to search my home for any potential suspicious items. My stuff were dispersed around my entire house, and the weirdest part was that one of the officers smelled my curtain thoroughly to check for any traces of marijuana odor. It's probably for the best that I don't smoke.
I had nothing to conceal, but I was terrified still since I had heard horror stories about police officers placing narcotics during unauthorized home searches to establish guilt. However, the more important question is: Would it be the same story for the other victims if they had done that or used the smallest excuse to harass me? The answer is absolutely NO!
Image is saved on my phone gallery
So, when I awoke on October 20th, 2020, I hurried to Twitter to check some tweets and saw that the mission to create a protest against police brutality was actually taking place in several places around the nation.
Would you be joining us?, my friend in the aforementioned photo asked me after he had already shared this photograph on his WhatsApp status.
I contemplated about it for a while because, among other things, I was aware of how terrible it could become. However, when I decided that enough was enough, I got ready and met up with him and the rest of our Folks.
There was a large audience in my city, and it was encouraging to see that everyone else felt worn out by the atrocities they were witnessing as well. We made our way through the city while chanting "EndSars," playing music, and promoting decent government.
From my Gallery
As you can see on her cardboard paper, my friend Joy's message read clearly, "END BAD GOVERNANCE," and it was also her birthday. Imagine having your birthday party in a protest area—that would be pretty Queen stuff, in my opinion.
During the protests, I was able to take a picture with the rest of my family. Seeing this image today brought back memories of what happened on that particular day.
From my GALLERY
While we held peaceful protests in my city. Lagos City, Nigeria, most of my fellow youths had bad luck because they exercised their fundamental human rights, they were slain at the "Lekki Toll Gate."
NIGERIA MUSIC INSPIRED BY 20.10.2020
20.10.20 BY BURNA BOY.
This song sits comfortably at number one as it was one of the first song dropped in response to the killings at the Toll Gate. Burna Boy clearly felt the pain in our hearts as he drags the government and everyone who gave the order to kill at the Toll Gate, the Song ends with a voice recording of the protests shouting about the military shooting at them and you could feel what my fellow youths felt just before dying
"Twentieth of October 2020
You carry army go kill many youth for Lekki
Na so water o, water runaway my eye
Nothing you go talk wey go justify the case of their murder".
Extract from the lyrics can be found [source]
20.10.20( WAHALA DEY) BY CHIKE
Chike reflects on the our politicians who requested for our votes cannot defend us when we need them..Chike screams to know "Who gave the Order to kill us" and yet we cannot find answers to this burning question till today.
Voice recordings are also placed as you could hear a politician blaming the killings on the youth rather than the police
...Mr Speaker we need to address certain people
The Nigerian youth's social media
Yes though good has it's negative impact
Let me first thank you for condemning the wanton killing and carnage that happened at Lekki...
Extracted from the voice recordings..[Source]
THIS IS NIGERIA BY FALZ
Falz is a Nigerian Rapper who used the original song "This is America" by Gambino to do a cover of This is Nigeria as he points out corruption, government failure, religious brainwashing, unemployment, insecurity and Police Brutality.
"This is Nigeria
Works in my area
This is democracy
Political hysteria
Yahoo Yahoo don tear everywhere now
And we act like it's so cool
Casting the P, I'm being castigated just for trying to be noble
This Nigeria
Look at my nation o
SARS stop me for road any explanation you go talk am for station o"
Extracted from lyrics of song from [Source]
JOHNNY BY FALZ
Falz again on this great song for sober reflection as he samples the Great Fela Kuti sound as the song is based on a youth called Johnny who struggles and get through with college only to go celebrate his graduation to be gunned down by Police..The music video gives an absolute description of End Sars Killing
OZUMBA MBADIWE BY REEKADO BANKS
Reekado Banks is one of the fast rising Afrobeats musicians from Nigeria..Reekado decides to celebrate the heros of today rather than cry over them as he reminds us that we will never forget what happened on October 20th in Ozumba Mbadiwe( which is Lekki, Lagos).
October 20 2020
Something happen with the government
Dem think say we go forget, for where?
Mhm, for Ozumba Mbadiwe...
Extracted from lyrics of song [Source]
It is a great song which was infused into the South African Amapiano sound for continuous remembrance of our heros.It also ends with voice recordings of the shooting at the Toll gate
All images are mine..